Deck latch



E. D. DALL Nov. 10, 1953 DECK LATCH 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 8, 1950urijrili.

fire 272E"? Edward Dal Nov. 10, 1953 E. D. DALL 2,658,778

DECK LATCH Filed Aug. 8, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 F1 qh J Edward D. Ba IIE. D. DALL DECK LATCH Nov. 10, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 8, 1950d E W a Z a a I M W x f WI 2 a g MW. r mo m4 mmnllh WWW/M: i w a W /W\ EF y. WWW? 1;; B 4W 2 5 A //.w. H M Q m a Patented Nov. 10, 1953 neonLATCH Edward. D. Hall Detroit, Mich., assignor to Houdaille HersheyCorporation; Detroit,\ Mich. a corporation of MichiganAppIi'cationAugust 8, 1950', S'eriaLNo. 1782277 1 This invention relatesto improvements latching mechanismsand' more particularly ro lates to asimplified and improved form of latohing mechanism for use in looking adeck door at a rear deck or lug-gage compartment of an automobile.

A principal object of my invention is to pro videa novel form oi decklatch of a sliding bolt type arranged witha view toward utmostsimplicity in construction and convenience in inrear deck will always belocked when the. latch.-

ing lever is in latching engagement with the striker, regardless of.whether the: deck. door is fully closed.

A further: object oi my invention is toprovidea latch.mechanismincludinga latching lever together with dogging means for dogging said lever in alatching position, and. automatically shifting the said latching. leverinto a further latched position upon. subsequent relative moviement ofthe deck door toward the. deck.

A further andzmore; detailed object of my in? ventionis to provide a:novel and efhcient form of. latching. mechanism. wherein. the latchinglever. is slid'able and pivotally movable in. a plane gen.-

erally parallel to. the plane of swing of' the door,

and wherein latching. movement thereof. is controlled by a key leverparallel to: the surface oi the door.

These and other objects ofmy invention will appear from time to time asthe. following speciflcation proceeds and with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a. partial fragmentary longitudinal sectional view takenthrough the rear deck and: door of an automobile, showing one form inwhich the latching mechanism of my invention maybe embodied; v

Figure 2 is arr end view of the latching mech-- anism looking toward theouter end thereof;

Figure 3 is a view in front elevationof the: latching mechanism lookingin a plane generally parallel to the plane of door swinging movement andshowing the latch mechanism in door closing position;

Figure 4 is a" view in front elevation looking in- 12 Claims (01..292-63 l M the same planeas Figure 3- and showing the latch mechanism ina door latching position;

Figure 5- isa front elevational view looking the same plane as Figures 3and 4+ andshowing the latch mechanism in door opening position; and

Figure 6- is an enlarged fragmentary front view of a portion of thelatch mechanism, and showing certain details of the keylever.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawings, referencecharacter it" l igure I indicates generally arear deck of an automobilehaving an upright deck pillar H, to which is secured a striker or keeperIii" as by rivets: l=3'-l-3*. The keeper I2 is herein shown as extendingupwardlyf'rom the deckpillar H and as having an-upperi'nwardly extendinginclined tion My extending in the plane generally perpendicular to thepath of doorclosing movement. The incl-inedportion M has a rectangularaperture l-5- for receiving and guiding a downwardly projecting nose P6ofa latch plate ii. The aperture [-5- is also engaged by a latchinglever it during door latching movement. The latcl v ing lever is ispivotally and siidably mounted on the latchplate H, as willhereina'ftermore elear- 1y appear as this specification proceeds.

Thelatch plate ll is herein shown as being mounted-within" and extendingthrough a loci: housing 21 secured to and extending inwardly from a rearplate 22' of a door til. door 23- is hinged at its upper endto the carbody (not shown) and moves in a generally vertical recti'on about theaxis of its hinges during door opening and closing movement.

The latch plate H may be stamped from a single sheet of steel, and thelower marginsthereof have inwardly extending flangedportions 2.4; and25; extending therealong and affording a. means to secure the latchplate to the. lock housing it of the door 23 The flanged portion 2a isherein shown as extending downwardly along: and, around the: front endof the nose: is to provide a reinforcement therefor and. guide meansguiding said nose into engagement with: the: aperture v thereon.

The key lever 29 is suitably mounted on a rotatable member 30 pivotallymounted in the upright portion 28. A squared operating rod 32 isprovided to pivot said membertd and the key lever 29 and extends withina lock casing v3.3 for the locking mechanism. The squared rod 3! may beturned through the locking mechanism by a key The key lever 29 has adepending and angularly outwardly extending end portion 35 which extendsthrough an elongated slot 36 in the plate ll, to the outer side of saidlatch plate. The slot 36 is herein shown as being formed in the inclinedportion of the latch plate I? and as having an arcuate upper marginconforming to the path of travel of the end portion 35. The end portion35 extends through the slot 36 in a direction generally perpendicular tothe plane of said latch plate and forms a latching or dogging supportfor an engaging end 3'! of a lever arm 39 of the dogging lever 21, andserves to hold said dogging lever in a dogging position when the key isremoved from the lock and the door is locked, and during door-closingmovement. 7

The key lever 29 also has an upper arm at extending therefrom andadapted to be engaged by the free end ll of a torsion spring G2, hereinshown as being mounted on two nibs 43-43, shownas being stamped toextend inwardly from the upright portion 28 of the lock plate It. The

- torsion spring 42 biases the key lever 29 in a counterclockwisedirection into a dogging position against the right-hand side of theslot 36.

Thedogging lever 21 is shown as being pivotally mounted on a pivot pin64, which may be riveted or otherwise secured to a lateral extension atof the latch plate H in a well-known manner. The pin 44 may be a headedpin, to retain the dogging lever 21 thereon and topivotally mount saiddog-. ging lever on the outer side of the latch plate ii, for movementin a plane generally parallel to the path of door movement. The dogginglever 2i has a dogging arm 4? extending angularly inwardly. anddownwardly from the pin M. A headed pin 59 is secured to said doggingarm at its inner end and slidably engages an arcuate slot 50 in thelatch plate ll the marginal arcs of which are coaxial with the axis ofthe pivot j pin 44. The head of the pin 39 is spaced inwardly from theinner side of the. latch plate ill and extends along the outer side ofthe latching lever I9 while an intermediate portion of said pin slidablyengages and upwardly opening slot 5i formed by a bifurcated upper endportion $2 of said latching lever. The pin l?) serves to control pivotaland sliding movement of the latching member l9 during door-closingmovement and holds said latching member from movement in an unlatchingdirection after the door has been latched. The lever arm 47 and pin 49also take up on the latching lever it after the door is closed,

.upon further movement ofthe door toward a closed position, and uponattempts to open the door when locked. a

' V The dogging lever 21. also has anupper inclined camming' surface 38on the end of its lever arm 7 39, which is engageable with the undersideof the engaging end of the key lever 29, upon opening of the'door', tocam said key lever against the 4 spring 42, into position to engage theengaging end 37, and hold said dogging lever in a dogging position.

The latching lever I9 is pivoted intermediate its ends on a pin 53,secured thereto, as by riveting, and extending outwardly therefromthrough a slot 54, herein shown as extending along the latch plate I! inthe direction of door-closing movement. On the outer end of the pin 53is mounted a torsion spring 55, which may be suitably secured at itsinner end to a slotted'portion thereof (not shown). The free or outerend of the torsion spring 55 engages a downwardly hooked nib 5?, hereinshown as being pressed outwardly from the latch plate H. The torsionspring 55 thus urges the latching lever 19 to move in acounter-clockwisedirection and also urges the pin 53 to move toward thelower end of the slot 54, and maintain a concave arouate strike surface59 of the latching lever I9 into engagement with an edge of the aperturei5 of'the keeper 12 when the latching mechanism is in a door latchingposition with respect to said keeper.

The latching lever it terminates at its lower end into a nose til whichcomes into engagement with the outer or upper edge of the inclinedportion IA of the keeper l2 during door closing movement, causing thelatching lever to move upwardly along the slot 5d against the spring 55,and at the same time to pivot about the pin 53 in a clockwise directionunder control of the pin $8 on the dogging lever 2i, until the nose 69of said latching lever has cleared the margin of the slot [5. At thistime said latching lever will pass through said slot and the arcuatelatching or strike suras long as the dogging lever is in the doggingposition shown in Figure 3.

It should here be understood that the torsion spring 55 has beencompressed by upward movement along the slot 5 3 and urges the strikesurface 59 of the latching lever l9 into engagement with the lowermarginof the slot it as long as the dogging lever 27 is in a dogging position.The spring 55 reacting against the pin 49 thus acts as a take-up tomaintain said latching lever into engagement with said slot and lock thedoor regardless of how tightly the door may be closed, as long as thenose at has passed through the slot l5 and the strike surface 59 hascome into engagement with the inner or lower edge ofsaid slot. Thiscontact is maintained as door-closing movement is continued and when thedoor is closed tight as shown by solid lines in Fig. i, the

latching lever l9 will remain in engagement with '1 the lower surface ofthe aperture until the door is opened by the zey, to release the dogginglever 27 from the key lever 29;

If the door is not tight, the latching lever l9 will move downwardly'andthe pin 53 will move toward the lower end of the slot Ed'untilysaidlatching lever is in the position shownby solid lines in Fig. l. Thus,loosenes's in the door is continually taken up by the latching lever 59,up

to within a predetermined distance, compressing the rubber door bumperor packing to an'e'xtent determined'by the amount of'take-up provided.This amount of take-up can be varied by increasing or decreasing thelength of the slot Also if the door is locked and his attempted to pullit in an opening direction, the reaction between the pin s9 and saidlever willfbe in a direction to force the. strike surface: 59- into.tighter en.- gagement with the keeper I4.

In order to. release the latching lever 13 for Opening of'the deck door;the-key314 turned. in a. direction to turn the squared spindle 3i. andkey lever 219 in clockwise direction. to; release the engaging end. illof the lever m 3.9 of the dos ging lever 22 from the key lever 29, as.shown in Figure 5. Upon. release of said. lever, thedogging lever 21 andpin G9 will be free topivot in a counter-clockwise direction, and thepin 5231 will: be free to move to. the lower end of the slot. 59;. Thelatching lever is is: then free to pivot a clockwise direction againstthe torsion spring 55 and. allow the door to be opened. Asthed'oor is.opened, engagement of the arcuate strike surface 59 with the lower edgeof the aperture l5; of the keeper M will rotate the latching lever min aclockwise direction against the spring 55- asshownin Fig. 5 until theengaging end 60 of said latching lever is free from the keeper. At thistime the-spring 55 will pivot the latching lever L9 in acounterclockwise direction to the latching position shown in Fig. 3.This will camthe dogginglever 21 in a clockwise direction.

When the hand isremovedfrom thekey 34' and the. latching lever I9 is.released from the slot [5,.

upward movement of the dogging lever 21 effected by camming movement ofthe latching lever is in a counterclockwise direction, will bring theinclined. camming surface 38. on the upper end of the arm 39 into.engagement with the under sur-' face of the engaging end 35 of the keylever 29, and: pivot said. key lever agaimt the spring 42 until; theengaging end 35 passes. beyond the adjacent end of said key lever. Atthis. time said lever will be released andthe spring 42 will: move theengaging end 35 of said lever into supporting engagement with. the end3! of the arm 39 of the. dogging. lever 21 holding said dogging. leverin a dogging position.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effectedin this invention without departing from. the scope of the. novelconcepts thereof.

I claim as my invention:- i

1. In a deck latch for association; with a keeper and a cooperating deckdoor, a latching assembly including a latch plate disposed in. a planegenerallyparallel to the path of swingof thed'oor, a key lever pivotedthereon and extending in'a plane generally parallel. to. the outersurface of the door, a dogging lever pivoted on saidlatch plate. andreleasably. supported by said key: lever in a dogging position, and alatching lever pivotally mountedon said latch plate intermediate itsends for slidable movement in the plane of said plate and. in thedirections of door movement and hall-- ing a. strike surface at one ofits ends and a latching surface extending therefrom, said dogging leverhaving sliding engagement with saidlatchinglever on theopposite side ofthe pivotal axis. of said latching lever from said strike surface andguiding movement of said latching lever into a latching position and:holdingusaid dogginglever in a latching position during door closingmovement and. when the door is closed.

2'. In: a, deck latch for association with a deck doorand keeper, alatching assembly including alatchplate extending in a plane generallyparallel to the path of swingof the door, a key lever pivotally mountedon one side of said latch plate, and having an. engaging end portionextendin'gto the opposite side of said latch plate for: movement with.respecttheret a latching lever mounted on the same side of said plate assaid key lever forpivotal movement. in the plane: of said. plate, aboutan axis disposed intermediateits. ends; and for slidable movement along"said axis, said. latching lever having an: arcuatestrike surface.extending along one:- side thereof and in one direction from its pivotataxis, for cooperation. with a keeper and having an opposite slotted. endportion, spring means urging said latching: lever into. position toenage a keeper, a dogging lever pivoted on the. opposite: side on said:latch: plate from said latching lever,v a: pin on said dogging leverhaving. slidabl'e engagement. with said slotted portion of said latchinglever and controlling movement. thereon. said. dogging lever having aprojecting arm having: alower surface. supportingly em gaged by saidengaging end of said key Lei/er and having an opposite camming surfacehaving camming engagement. with said hey lever; and; said strike surfaceof said latching lever moving along the. keeper upon dooropeningmovement camming said latching lever to move said arm of. said dogginglever past said engaging end of. said key lever, and spring meansoperatively connected with. said key lever and moving: said key leverinto position for said: enga ing end to. supportingly engage said arm ofsaid: hey lever..

3;. In a. deck. latch for association with akeeper on; a, deck and acooperating deck door, a latch-- ing assembly including a. latch. plateextending in. a plane generally parallel to the path of the swingOfTthl-ZUDOI, a. latch lever extending along said latch. plate and;pivotally mounted: thereon intermediate its ends for slidahle movementalong said latch. plate in the directions of door opening and. closingmovements, said latching lever having an engaging nose at one endthereof, and a concave strike surface extending towards its pivotal:axis for slidable engagement with the keeper, a springurging said strikesur face in engagement with the! keeper when the door is closed, adogging lever pivotall y mountcdon said latch: plate, and havingslida'ble engagement with the opposite end of said latching lever fromsaid nose and. controlling the path of movement of said latching leverwhen moving into a latching position, and holding said latching leverfrom movement an unlatching direction when said dogging lever is in adogging position and said latching lever is in a latching position withrespect to the keeper, and a key lever rel'easably supporting saiddogging lever ina dogging position.

4. In a deck latch for association with a keeper on a deck and acooperating deck door, a latching assembly including a latch plateextendingin a direction generally parallel to the path of swing of thedoor, a latching lever, a pivot pin guided in said latch plate forrectilinear movement in the directions of door movement and pivotallymounting said latching lever onmsaid' latch plate for movement about anaxis" disposed intermediate its ends, said latching lever having anengaging end projecting from; thepivotal axis thereof toward the keeperand having a concave strike surface extending upwardly from saidengaging end for latching engagement with the keeper, a torsion springoperatively connected with said pin and urging said latching lever andarcuate strike surface into engagement with the keeper; a dogging leverpivoted onsaid latch plate and extending along theopposite side thereoffrom said latching member;

I said latch plate having a slotted portion,a pin cluding a latch plateextending in a direction generally parallelto the swing of the door andhaving an upper angular extendingportion extending in a directiongenerally parallel to the outer surface of'the door, a key leverpivotally mounted on said angularly extending portion of said latchplate, a dogging lever pivotally mounted on said portion of said latchplate extending parallel to door swinging movement, said dogging leverbeing pivotally mounted on said latch plate at a point spaced from saidkey lever and having a projectingarm having a lower surface sup- Cirportingly engaged "by said key lever and an opposite camming surface,having camming engagement with said key lever and camming said key leverinto position to supportingly engage said dogging lever upon' dooropening movement, a latching lever extending in the direction of doorclosing movement, a slidable and pivotal mounting for said latchinglever on said latch plate, said latching lever having a 'nose portionengageable with the keeper and an arcuate strike surface extendingupwardly therefrom having latching engagement with the keeper uponclosing of the door,yand also having an' upper slotted portion havingslidable engagement with said dogging lever, and moving said dogginglever into a dogging position upon door opening movement when releasedfrom said I 7 key lever, and said camming surface of said dogging leverpivoting said key lever into position to supportingly engage saiddogginglever upon movement of said dogging lever to a dogging position.

6. In a deck latch'for association with a keeper 7 and a cooperatingdeck door, a latching assembly including a latch plate disposed in' aplane generally parallel to the path of swing of the door and having aslotted guide extending therealong in the direction of door movement, apivot pin guided for movement along said slot, a latching lever mountedon said pin intermediate its ends, a torsion spring secured to saidpinat one of its ends and to said latch plate at its opposite'end andbiasing said'pin and'latching lever along said guide in a, directiontoward the keeper into position to engage the keeper, a dogging leverpivoted on the opposite side of said latch plate from said latchinglever, a pin on said dogging lever extendingthrough said latch plate andhavlatching position, said latching lever moving said Zingsli'dable'engagement with said latchinglever V .and guiding saidlatching-lever into a projected dog'ging lever toward a doggingposition: during door opening movement by slidable engagement of saidpin therewith, a key lever pivoted onsaid latch plate and havingreleasable supporting engagement with said dogging lever, spring means Ibiasing said key lever into position to engage said' dogging lever, andsaid dogging lever having a camming face moving saidkey lever intoposition to supportingly engage said dogging lever upon pivotal movementof said dogging lever, effected by movement of said latching lever in arelease direction upon door opening movement. 7; In a deck latch forassociation with a keeper and a cooperating deck door, a latchingassembly including a key lever, a pivoted dogging lever releasablyengaged by said key lever and held thereby in a dogging position, alatching lever mounted intermediate its ends for slidable and pivotalmovement in the general plane of door closing movement and having astrike surface at one of its ends and a latch surface extendingtherefrom for latching engagement with the keeper, saiddogging leverhaving slidable engagement with said latching lever and guiding movementof said latching lever into a projected latching position during doorclosing movement and maintaining said latching lever in engagement withthe keeper when the door is closed.

8. Ina deck latch for association with a keeper and a cooperating deckdoor, a latching assembly including a latch plate extending in a planegenerally parallel to the path of swing of the door, a key lever pivotedthereon and extending in a direction generally parallel tothe outersurface of the door, a'dogging lever pivoted on said latch plate, saidkey lever having means thereon engageable with said dogging lever forholding said on the opposite side of the pivotal axis thereof from thekeeper and guiding slidable movement of said latching lever from aretracted to a projected latching position into engagement'with thekeeper, and a torsion spring operatively connect-- ed with said latchinglever and biasing said latching lever for pivotal movement intoengagement with the keeper and for rectilinear movement in a a directionto take up on the latch upon engageparallel to the path of movement ofthe door,

a key lever pivoted on said latch plate, a dog-i ging lever pivoted onsaid latch plate, a latching lever mounted on said latch plate forpivotal movement in the plane of said plate about an axis' disposedintermediate its ends, and for slidable movement "along said plate inthe direction" of door-movement, said dogging lever having a portionhaving slidable engagement with said latching lever and slidably guidingsaid latching lever intoa retracted 'positioni upon initial engagementwith the keeper and into a projected latching position into engagement 7with the keeper, and said dogging lever having an arm projecting fromthe pivot thereof and having a lower surface releasably engaged by saidkey lever and holding said dogging lever in'a dogging posi-,

said dogging lever into position to cam said key lever by engagement ofsaid' camming surface therewith into position to come into supportingengagement with said arm of said dogging lever.

10. In a latch for association with a door and a cooperating keeper, alatching assembly including a latch plate extending generally parallelto the path of swing of the door, a key lever pivotally mounted on saidlatch plate and extending generally parallel to the outer surface of thedoor, a dogging lever pivotally mounted on said latch plate, said keylever having an engaging end portion pivotally movable to engage andhold said dogging lever in a dogging position, a latching lever, a pinguided for slidable movement along said latch plate and pivotallymounting said latching lever on said latch plate for pivotal movementabout an axis movable in the direction of door closing movement, andsaid dogging lever having sliding engagement with said latching lever ata point spaced from said pin and guiding said latching lever from aretracted to a projected position upon door closing movement, andpositively holding said latching lever from moving in a releasedirection after the door is closed and until release of said dogginglever by said key lever.

11. In a latch for association with a keeper and a cooperating door, alatching assembly including a latch plate extending in a directiongenerally parallel to the path of swing of the door, a key leverpivotally mounted on said latch plate and extending generally parallelto the outer surface of the door, a dogging lever pivotally mounted onsaid latch plate, said key lever being selectively operable by a key tohold said dogging lever in a stationary dogging position, a latchinglever, a slot extending along said latch plate in the general directionof door movement, a pivot pin extending from said latching lever andmounted in said slot for slidable movement therealong, a torsion springconnected with said pin at one end and engaging said latch plate at itsfree end and biasing said pin and latching lever along said slot in adirection toward the keeper, said latching lever having a slotted upperend portion having slidable engagement with said dogging lever andhaving a depending nose retracting said latching lever upon strikingengagement with a keeper upon door closing movement, and also having arecessed strike surface extending from said nose and projected by saidspring into latching engagement with the keeper upon further doorclosing movement, and said latching lever camming said dogging lever toa dogging position by the reaction of said latching lever against thekeeper upon the release of said dogging lever to accommodate opening ofthe door and upon door opening movement.

12. In a latch for association with a keeper and a cooperating door, alatching assembly including a latch plate extending in a directiongenerally parallel to the path of swing of the door and having a keylever pivotally mounted thereon, a dogging lever pivotally mounted onsaid latch plate at a point spaced remote from said key lever, said keylever having an engaging end movable into engagement with said dogginglever for selectively holding said dogging lever in a dogging position,a slidable and pivotal mounting for said latching lever on said latchplate, mounting said latching lever on said latch plate for rotationalmovement and for movement along said latch plate into latchingengagement with the keeper, said dogging lever having means thereonhaving slidable engagement with the opposite end of said latching leverfrom the keeper and guiding said latching lever for movement into aretracted position upon engagement thereof With the keeper upon initialdoor closing movement and for movement into a projected latchingposition into latching engagement with the keeper upon further doorclosing movement, and spring means connected with said latch plate andlatching lever and biasing said latching lever in a keeper engagingdirection.

EDWARD D. DALL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number

